Kazakh City
This article describes the setting for the 2014 digital Strider. For other uses of "Kazakh", see Kazakh (disambiguation). Kazakh City (カザフシティ) is the main setting in the 2014 Strider. Kazakh City is a massive metropolis which combines ornate Russian architecture with hard-edged futuristic high-rise buildings. It serves as Grandmaster Meio's seat of power, from where he rules over the world. In the year of "Meio: 0048", Strider Hiryu is given the mission to assassinate Meio, after 11 agents sent on the same mission never returned, and infiltrates the city alone. An eclectic place influenced by its past just as much as the future Meio is attempting to craft, Kazakh City is a true representation of the madmen currently in charge of it.Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). Story Intel #1: Kazakh City Overview Origins While in general the term "Kazakh City" refers to the entire complex under Grandmaster Meio's rule, it is more often used to refer specifically to the residential areas which are the last remains of the original city of KazakhCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #1: Kazakh City. After Grandmaster Meio's sudden appearance, the scheming General Mikiel turned to his side and seized all government, police and military forces in Meio's nameCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Character Intel #22: Military Officer Mikiel. The metropolis has since remained under his control, while directly responding to Grandmaster Meio as he governs from his Throne Room atop Meio's Tower, a giant spyre in the center of the city which serves as a symbol of his absolute rule.Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #6: Meio's Tower Currently, Kazakh City exists in a distorted reality, in which buildings built at different points in history, both old and new, mixes together erratically. Over the course of Meio's rule the city has been expanded to include several other compounds serving as the staging centers for Meio's military power and experimental research. Government Kazakh City suffers from the oppressive rule of Meio's Army, its citizens living in constant fear under martial law. General Mikiel governs over all aspects of the city, constantly broadcasting commands throughout the metropolis to remind citizens of their duties and obligations, as well as the consecuences of breaking the law. Kazakh City Citizens are all assigned specific duties within the empireCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "The worker must perform his duty to the empire.", which they must perform efficientlyCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Labor is freedom. Labor is progress.". A strict curfew is in effect, with curfew times announced only 20 minutes prior Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Curfew times will be announced twenty minutes prior to curfew.", forcing people to rush back to their homes since anyone found "loftering" after curfew is to be detained on the spotCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Any Kazakh citizen found loftering after curfew will be detained by the Emperor's Guard.". Mikiel demands total obedience and efficiency from the citizenship, and punish even the smallest of offenses such as disrupting transport efficiency, which leads to the lose of transit permitsCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Board and disembark promptly. Passengers disrupting transport efficiency will have their transit permits revoked.", practically a death penalty given the above. Any sort of disobedience to his authority (and, by extension, the Grandmaster's) or tampering with government technology are considered serious crimesCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Obey the Grandmaster Meio, benefit, and prosper. Disorder will be...terminated.", subjected to public punishment and incarcerationCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Tampering with government technology is a crime, subject to public punishment and incarceration.". Mikiel considers even the smallest acts of disobedience the cause of "social decay", and thus he's merciless in crushing any budding revolution within his city. Other departments under Mikiel's management include the Department of Transport (a.k.a. Transit Authority), which he himself claims has become a worldwide model of transport efficiencyCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "The Kazakh City Transit Authority welcomes you. We are a worldwide model of transportation efficiency." thanks to the very strict rules in place; and the Ministry of Propaganda, which promotes Grandmaster Meio's image through the use of pamphlets and posters plastered all across the city. Civilian Lifestyle Every citizen, even those not suspected of being rebels, are under constant surveillance by the armyCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #4: Kazakh City Citizens. Citizens themselves are also encouraged to observe and report their neighbours for any suspicious activity that breaks routineCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Observe your neighbors, conform, be alert to activity which breaks yours daily routine.", with rewards offered for those who report dissent among them, such as an additional food lotteryCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "And now a special message. There will be an additional food lottery at 1600 hours, for citizens who report dissent among the populace.". Martial law is almost constantly in effect in the Historical DistrictCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #2: Historical District, which forces all residents to be confined to their homes since Troopers are allowed to shoot any non-military personnel on sight.Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Martial law is in effect in the Historic district. Non-military personnel in the district will be shot dead." The citizens living in the wealthier Residential Zone have a much more comfortable lifestyle and have deluded themselves in believing this, but in the end they are still living under Grandmaster Meio's tyrannical ruleCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #3: Residential District and remain under surveilance even if they are not suspected of being rebels. As expected from such a repressive system, citizens attempting to escape the metropolis and its dystopian rule is a recurring problem. These dissenters are often hunted down and either killed or captured to become guinea pigs in the Research Facility, though a few sometimes manage to escape and disappear into the nether regions of the city, where a imporvised Refugee Camp exists. A Resistance is known to exist as well, but they have for the most part avoided capture and remain in hiding. Law Enforcement As stated above, General Mikiel also controls both the military and police force in Kazakh City. Almost the entirety of the force deployed to the city is formed by "Light Troopers", mass-produced androids outfitted with autonomous AIs. These troopers stand at the front lines within the city and enforces Meio's ruleCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Character Intel #1: Light Trooper. Their constant presence justified as being for the people's "security"Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Citizens of Kazakh City, military presence is required for your security."; citizens are ordered to obey any uniformed personnel at any momentCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider (English). General Mikiel: "Uniformed personnel operate under the authority of the Grandmaster and must be obeyed at all times.". The city is also under constant vigilance by the mass-produced "PNUT" unit: these unmanned aerial scout robots can be seen flying everywhere and are equipped for monitoring, defense and even crowd-suppression if necessary.Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Character Intel #3: PNUT The military branch of Mikiel's rule is centered in the Military Ring, which encloses a military fortress, prison, production plant and headquartersCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #5: Military Ring, and is claimed to be the strongest military in the whole of Eurasia. Their troop force is exclusively conformed by enhanced and mass-produced "Military Trooper" androids under Mikiel's control. The military engineers its own vehicle models within the Military Ring's Hangar Bay Zone, which includes the mass-produced Sovkhoz model tanks and Skiff aircrafts, as well as the powerhouse vehicles which symbolize their military might, the Flying Battleship Balrog and the Mecha Tank Tornado. Currently, the military appears to be engaged in a conflict outside Kazakh City's borders, as several Sovkhoz tanks can be seen marching out through the city outskirts. Technology Kazakh City has the most advanced cutting-edge technology at their disposal, though these commodities can only be enjoyed by those who live in the Residential District. The complex has its own technological center in the Research Facility, which is mostly devoted to supplying Meio's Army with trooper units and weapons, as well as performing genetic experiments.Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Story Intel #9: Research Facility With the development and creation of the Gravitron units, the whole metropolis is being powered by a clean and limitless power supply derived from Earth's gravity forceCapcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Character Intel #23: The Gravitron. Before this system was implemented, it's presumed the city was sustained by the energy generated from the Kazakh Grand Dam. Districts Kazakh City is divided into 10 sections which can be grouped together into 5 main areas known as "Districts": Gallery StrHD_kazakhcity_map.png|In-game map showing the city's division into 10 sections (Research Facility highlighted) StrHD_kazakhcity_skyview_paick.png|Kazakh City concept art by James Paick References Category:Locations